Current RHS baseball players faced off against former alumni, coaches and fathers. | JENINE MYERS PHOTO
RANGELY | On Saturday, June 19, at the Field of Dreams in Rangely, one of the most highly contested, trash-talked, non-stop laughing, dream extending, age proving baseball games took place. In the sweltering heat, the Rangely High School baseball team took the diamond against their former alumni, coaches and fathers. There was not a moment where you did not hear heckling from players towards their coaches or fathers, and when there was no heckling, there was enormous laughter from the spectators. The two teams were named Slackers (current RHS players) versus the Cheaters (alumni, coaches and fathers). The game was an excellent time for all and the players to enjoy the diamond with their fathers.
2020 graduate and current CNCC baseball team member Dylan LeBleu started on the mound for the Cheaters toeing the rubber against junior Justin Cudo for the Slackers. The Slackers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as the Cheaters showed their age to chase down bloop singles to the outfield or track down what is deemed a “routine” ground ball for the high schoolers. As a result, the Cheaters found themselves in an early hole. The Cheaters chipped away at the lead and scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing the game to 3-2. The Slackers responded with two more runs to make the game 5-2. Not to be shown up by the younger team, the Cheaters could plate three runs in the next two innings to force a tie game after seven innings.
The tie game left the determination that each team will pick one member to do a sudden-death hitting competition and a winner will be determined then. The Slackers fell to the Cheaters due to living up to their team name as the hitter for the Slackers was dealt a less than perfect soft-toss. With the game being 6-5 in favor of the Cheaters, it will only leave motivation in the years coming to defeat the Cheaters.
JENINE MYERS PHOTO
The RHS baseball program would like to thank the players’ mothers for cooking lunch for everyone involved following the game. They would also like to thank all of the fathers who took the field with their sons one more time. This event will continue for the future and continue to build the tradition of baseball for Rangely.
Special to the Herald Times
